Rush Into You (13 page)

“I don’t think I’ve ever just sat on the beach to relax,” he shared quietly. “I’m not sure why. It’s nice.”

“I love it. There’s just something about the sounds and the air…I don’t know. It can usually calm my mind right away.”

Ryker shifted his weight so that he was behind me and opened his legs, pulling me to his center, then wrapped his arms around me. The intimacy of our position took my breath away. I wasn’t used to this kind of affection, but I liked it and I wanted more. I let my head fall back to rest on his chest, just as the sun began it’s plummet into the water. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink and purple, with a deep orange color burning brightly above the water. The sun rested on the horizon, a beautiful ball of gold that reflected through the water towards us. The evening was unusually silent—no trace of people, animals, or vehicles as if the world knew this moment was too beautiful to ruin with noise.

We laid together with our limbs tangled, my back pressed into his front. Our breathing was steady and deep, in sync with one another, and I never wanted this surreal moment to end.

ALL GOOD THINGS must come to an end.

When the sun made its final descent into the ocean, the colorful sky quickly turned to an inky black, but I didn’t want to end my night with Ryker. I gathered my sandals and the tote I’d brought with me, and walked with him back on to the strip. A quick look at my phone to check the time showed me that the train wouldn’t be here for at least another twenty minutes. The station was just two streets over, so I could take a few minutes to say goodbye.

Ryker pointed at my phone. “Are you waiting for your ride?”

I put my cell in the back pocket of my jeans and shook my head. “No, I took the train. It’ll be here in less than a half hour.”

He grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. “Oh, hell no. I don’t care if it’s the nice new train, you’re not getting on that by yourself at night.”

“Excuse me?” I wrenched my hand free and planted my feet.

“I don’t like the idea of you on a train at night by yourself.”

“Yeah, well, I do it all the time. I’m a big girl, Ryker. I can take care of myself.”

He took my hand again, this time gently. “Yeah, I get that, but if I’m here with you, and I don’t want to leave you yet anyway, there’s no reason for you to get on that train. You’re coming on my bike.”

“What if I don’t want to?” I was being stubborn, I knew that, but I also didn’t want Ryker thinking he could boss me around, even if the thought of him caring warmed my heart. It reminded me of the very first time we’d met and he’d driven me home because he didn’t want me walking alone in the dark.

He tugged my arm, forcing me flush against his hard body. He lowered his mouth to my ear, his lips teasing the skin and whispered seductively, “You don’t?”

Butterflies coursed through my stomach, their wings sending fluttering tingles through my veins. There was no doubt I was attracted to Ryker, and I knew he was aware of the effect he had on me as well.

But tonight wasn’t supposed to end with sex.

He must have read my mind because he lifted my chin to look at him, and his eyes were no longer sexual. “I just wanted to chill, eat junk food, and watch a movie or something.”

“Okay,” I agreed, excited by the idea of lounging around on the couch with him watching mindless television.

“Your place or mine?”

I would love the chance to see where Ryker lived and what his house looked like. I’d always felt like a person’s home could tell so much about them, and I wondered what Ryker’s would say about him. I was curious if his space was bare and boring, or if it was set up like a frat boy’s room complete with lit bar room signs on the wall next to life-sized posters of women with big tits in bikinis straddling motorcycles seductively.

As intrigued as I was, I knew it’d be a better idea if we went to my house. I wanted tonight to be a movie night—no sex. The first time I’d met Ryker, I’d tried to sleep with him, and I still wanted to sleep with him, but I didn’t want it to be too soon. I didn’t want him as a fuck buddy. I’d be more comfortable at my own home, and hopefully more in control of my body.

“Let’s go to mine. I recorded a show I want to watch.” I let him help me with the helmet, then climbed behind him on his bike. Ryker picked up speed slightly and cruised the nearly empty roads, the musical sounds of the ocean fading with our gained distance.

I was suddenly nervous about Ryker coming into my home. Just as I tried to figure people out based on their living space, I was sure he would try to do the same to me, and I was afraid that he would judge me based on the few dirty dishes in the sink, or the hamper full of clothes in my bedroom. The last thing I needed was for Ryker to think I was disgusting because of a few out of place things.

I loved my apartment, and took pride in the fact that it was all mine. It was a two family building with chipped white paint and a blue porch. I lived on the first floor, and my neighbors were never home. I’d worked hard to rent this place by myself and keep up with the bills. I used to get really good tips with my old waitressing job and worked as many hours as I could while still going to state, but I loved my new job working from home now as a graphic designer and formatter. I knew it had nothing to do with my Nursing major, but I was good at it. It worked great with my class schedule and didn’t get in the way of my personal time.

Ryker’s hands closed around my waist from behind, his touch breaking me away from my paranoia and thoughts. “This is nice, Gabby. It’s cozy.”

We walked into the kitchen together. “Want some soda? I have Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper. Or I have water if you want that instead. No beer, sorry.”

“Coke, please.”

I handed him the can, and reached for a big bucket of cheese-balls that I kept on top of my fridge. I loved these things and could eat almost the whole bucket if I got carried away. I shook the container, the cheesy goodness tapping against the plastic walls.

“Want some?”

“Damn, Gabby, you found my weak spot.” He took the oversized container from me and shrugged. “I don’t think I’ll be able to share these with you.”

I laughed and lunged for the container, grabbing it back. “Oh, hell no. These are my favorite. Now I’m not sharing with you.” I grabbed my unopened can of Diet Dr. Pepper from the table and ran for the living room with Ryker on my heels. I jumped up on the couch, standing on the super soft, chocolate-brown cushions and held out my hand holding the soda. I had the cheese-balls gripped with my other arm against my side, shielding them with my body, “Stay back!”

Ryker put his Coke on the end table, and I happily noted that through our silliness, he had automatically placed it on one of the supplied coasters. He took the soda out of my hand and put it next to his, then threw his hands up in surrender. I relaxed, and went to sit down when Ryker pounced on me like a wild cat. The container of cheese-balls fell and rolled off the couch as he tickled me like a madman. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe, and I begged for mercy until Ryker finally gave in, planting a big wet kiss on my forehead. The exaggerated smacking sound of his lips against my skin made me laugh even more, my abdominal muscles aching from their workout.

We sat up, and Ryker grabbed the cheese-balls off the floor and put it between us. “That’ll teach you to try and keep my favorite snack from me again.”

“Well, now you have to watch my choice of a show. I recorded Survivor a few days ago. I want to watch it.”

Ryker groaned dramatically, pretending to be annoyed. “Oh, come on! Let’s watch something with a little gore in it.”

“We’re watching it, no arguments. You owe it to me from that tickle attack.”

I clicked a few buttons on the remote control, turning the television on and starting up my recorded show, then I shifted in my seat, and grabbed my soda to take a sip. The bubbly burn was my favorite, and I exhaled loudly after swallowing. Ryker laughed at me and pulled me closer to him, resting his arm around my shoulders as the show started. The simpleness of the evening made me smile as I snuggled into his side.

“I can't believe they're really going to eat that.” I cringed, watching the seven contestants standing side by side at a buffet style table. In front of each person was a plate with slimy, black worms, and a side of duck embryo. A young girl started gagging right off the bat, and I could only imagine that the disgusting smell paired with the sweltering heat would make me want to puke as well.

“Oh, come on. For a million bucks you’d eat that shit,” Ryker said.

“No way! I wouldn’t eat that for two million bucks.”

“I definitely would. I bet it'd taste just like chicken.”

I laughed at his silly smile, then curled into his side when I saw the challenge starting. “Oh my God, look at that girl on the end, she's about to faint.”

“She has nothing on that guy in the middle. I can’t tell if he looks disgusted or turned on. What the hell is sexy about shipworms anyway?”

We watched as the host counted down from three for the contestants to begin eating the country’s delicacies.

“Holy shit, that guy just slurped those worms up like spaghetti.” Ryker sounded slightly impressed.

“This is gross. I bet these people were surprised when they saw what their challenge was going to be. They haven’t eaten nasty stuff like that in a while.” I’ve been a
Survivor
fan since the first season that I watched with my mother. Even after I walked away from my family, I still kept with the tradition and imagined that she was watching the same thing as me at the same time. It somehow made me feel close to her.

We watched the rest of the show in silence, except for the occasional laugh, or groan. Reality shows were one of my guilty pleasures, and I was surprised by how much Ryker seemed to enjoy it.

Ryker leaned down to kiss me on the top of my head, and sighed happily. “You know, I’ve seen the previews over the years but never thought twice about watching it. It was fun with you though. I think we’ll have to do it again next week.” He winked at me.

I tilted my head up and looked in his eyes. His lips were turned up in a wide smile, his white teeth revealed. His eyes were shining, the blue extra bright with crinkles lining the skin at the corners. He looked happy, yet I could tell he was serious. He’d honestly had a good time watching this silly reality show with me, and wasn’t just telling me what I wanted to hear.

“Well, in that case, you’ll have to be here for my Monday night reality show as well,” I teased. Ryker raised his eyebrows in question and took a sip of his soda. “It’s a dating show.” His eyes widened, clearly thinking it was ridiculous. “The contestants really do fall in love.”

He barked out a laugh and sprayed his Coke everywhere. It ran down his chin and onto his white shirt as he reached for a napkin. He noticed the bubbling liquid that landed all over me and tried not to laugh again as he attempted to pat me dry. I slapped his hand away when he paid extra close attention to the drips on my chest.

“I’m sorry, Gabby. You’re kidding me though, right?”

“No, I’m not kidding.” I laughed, pushing him lightly. “Trust me, I know some people are just there for the cameras and not to fall in love, but there are people who spend so much time together for weeks that they really do fall in love. It’s just like any other two people falling in love after spending a length of time together.”

“A few weeks aren’t enough time for anyone to fall in love. Like or lust, yeah, but not love.”

I didn’t know why, but something about his words stung. We haven’t hung out a lot, but I felt as if I knew him. My fantasies had kept him alive in my heart and mind the entire time we were apart, so I felt like that only added to the time we’d been together since we’d met again.

All I could do was shrug.